A conventional seat cover used for an automobile seat is typically constructed using a removable hard back panel 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Such construction allows for a portion of the back portion of the automobile seat to be recessed. This recessed portion provides additional knee clearance for a passenger getting in and out of the automobile behind the seat, as well as additional knee clearance while the passenger is riding behind the seat. In addition, the hard back panel is removable to provide access to the seat side airbag that is located inside the seats of many automobiles.
However, the use of the removable hard panel 10 is costly and adds weight to the seat assembly. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a seat cover that eliminates the hard back panel and still provides knee clearance (e.g., a recessed back portion) and access to the seat side airbag.